SECURITY is being beefed up at Kenilworth?s main park as congregating youths have scared people away from the town?s swimming pool on dark evenings....

SECURITY is being beefed up at Kenilworth?s main park as congregating youths have scared people away from the town?s swimming pool on dark evenings.

Warwick District Council is to pay for more powerful lights on the path linking the Abbey Fields swimming pool with the car park, which staff and customers are advised not to use unaccompanied.

The council has noticed a steady decline in the number of people swimming in the evenings.

This is put down to youths congregating in the area, mainly around the pool building, and swimmers have raised concern about their own safety. There have also been cases of vandalism in the area.

Dale Best, head of leisure at Warwick District Council, said: ?The main access road into Abbey Fields is used by the majority of customers visiting the pool.

?During the day and in the summer months this presents few, if any, security concerns.

?In the winter however, many customers curtail their regulars visits, deterred by the walk in the poorly lit area.

?Customers and staff are encouraged to walk in pairs, rather than alone at these times, and staff working late shifts are permitted to bring their cars to the pool before dusk.?

There are already eight lamp-posts on the road leading from the car park, off Bridge Street, towards the pool in Abbey Fields. The current high pressure sodium fittings will be changed to a ?whiter? light which will be more powerful and give more security to pool users at a cost of #1,480.

There are restrictions on work in the area, which is a scheduled ancient monument.

The council previously decided to take no action but Mr Best said: ?Customers? perceived level of safety can be increased for a relatively small sum.?